School Zone
APRIL 26, 2017
A monthly newsletter covering area schools
SLSD waits for fi nal Lion's Pride Pageant heads to the fi nish line
Students work to raise money for the Children's Miracle Network
budget numbers
The Or-
egon State
Legislature
warned
entities around the state that
it would be facing nearly a $2
billion defi cit as it geared up to
fund programs and departments
for the next two years. For Ore-
gon schools, less money equat-
ed to more cuts but without a fi -
nal budget from the legislature,
institutions are left guessing at
a number and for South Lane
School District, that number is
between $1 million and $1.8
million.
South Lane Superintendent
Krista Parent has been holding
budget meetings with various
educators around the district to
illustrate the dire situation.
According to information dis-
tributed during those meetings,
the school district has several
options in making up the bud-
getary shortfall. To close the
$1.8 million gap, it could elim-
inate 25 teachers for a value
of $70,000 each. It could also
cut 20.5 days from school at
$88,000 a piece. However, Par-
ent has noted that a portion of
South Lane's students have had
just a fraction of their education
consist of a full calender due to
cut days to comply with budget
restrictions. Further, inclem-
ent weather has left students at
home more than usual this year
which could potential cause a
larger problem.
Students are required to at-
tend school for a certain num-
ber of instructional hours per
year. When school days fall
away to snow days and budget
cuts, schools can be left respon-
sible to the state to explain the
short-coming. According to
BY CAITLYN MAY
cmay@cgsentinel.com
Parent, SLSD has yet to be in
the "penalty box" concerning
instructional hours but if the
school is forced to cut days due
to the budget and the area ex-
periences another harsh winter,
that could change.
Also on the list of possible
money-saving options is sports
at the high school level. Elimi-
nating the program would save
the school $200,000. Howev-
er, it is noted that such a move
could cost the district up to 100
students. In a state where stu-
dents can choose where they
go to school, athletic programs
draw in potential players and
losing 100 students would
amount to a $750,000 loss for
the district.
Other suggestions on the list
include closing Latham School
which would displace 120 stu-
dents, stalling already delayed
math adoption at the elementary
level, terminating 31 custodi-
ans, 39 secretaries, 21 admin-
istrators or cutting all middle
school athletics.
The district has cut days in
the past and according to Par-
ent, may have to do so in the
future. Because the legislature
lays out a two-year budget,
further cuts could be waiting
for the 2017-2018 school year.
Parent noted that the district
is unaware of exactly how the
legislative budget would affect
next year but any budget short-
fall would place services, teach-
ers and school days back on the
chopping block.
An answer on the fi nal budget
is due from the legislature in the
coming weeks which will allow
South Lane School District to
begin fi nalizing the cuts to ser-
vices for the school year.
Pictured above from left to right: Contestants Tanner Howe, Hunter Gipson, Blake Sentman, Kory Parent, Brent Ollivant, TJ Bellamy, Zane Levings, coordina-
tors Savannah Crump, Carly Sand, Cassidy Lusson, Keara Murphy, contestants Hannah Albrecht, Lauren Fields and Elizabeth Poe. See page 2 for story.
Inside:
School briefs pg. 2
Changes at Lincoln pg. 3
Updates from Latham & Dorena pg.3
New school construction begins
Equipment is scheduled to be on site this
week
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The new Harrison Elementary School on Taylor Ave. will offi cially begin construction
this week with heavy equipment scheduled to be on site this week to start demoli-
tion of structures on the property. The offi cial groundbreaking was held last month
with several community leaders coming out to mark the occasion. The new Harrison
Elementary will sit in the space of the old high school and the fi nal cost will hover
around $23 million, funded through a bond measure approved by voters in November.
The school is expected to be up and running in time for the new class to attend in
September of 2017.
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